


Cold Mornings

by tsukinofaerii



Series: Gold Rider [3]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey, Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-17
Updated: 2010-09-17
Packaged: 2017-10-11 22:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/117946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsukinofaerii/pseuds/tsukinofaerii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Tony wants to do is sleep in. His dragon, as always, has her own plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Mornings

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday, Lupus_Dragon @ DW!  
> And many thanks to Valtyr for the beta job!

Tony stretched out under the furs that covered his bed, then immediately curled up again when a chill draft touched his toes. The sound of a hundred dragon voices was a distant, soft hum in the back of his head. For once, no alarm threaded through them, not even in their dreams. It was the middle of an especially harsh winter, and what was bad for crops was deadly to Thread. There hadn't been a viable Fall for four sevendays, and that had been a pitiable, thin thing that was mopped up easily by a single wing and some weyrlings.

S'teve's hand on his hip squeezed, then slid around his stomach to pull him closer. "Stop listening," he mumbled against the back of Tony's neck. "They're fine."

Grumbling, Tony let himself sag back into S'teve. It was like having a man-sized warming plate at his back, and more relaxing than a day on the Ista beaches. "When you learn how to turn off your ears, I'll learn how to turn off mine." He did, however, stop deliberately listening, letting the contact fade to a quiet touch in the back of his mind. One of them would warn him if anything happened. Marroth especially wouldn't stay quiet. She never did.

Somehow, just the thought of his dragon called her attention. _Tooooooooooony._

Stalwartly, Tony ignored her.

 _Tonyyyyyyyyyy._ Marroth's voice grew higher pitched, into a pathetic whine. _Wake uuuuuuuuuuuup._

He squinched his eyes shut and snuggled back into S'teve's firm body. There was nothing to do, no duties, no reason to wake. He was _not_ getting up.

 _Please?_ The whining note vanished into what he could have sworn was a sniffle. It would have been more believable if she'd had a physical nose in the room. Misery dripped from her voice. _I need you._

With a groan of defeat, Tony answered, _I'm awake, I'm awake. What is it?_

 _I knew you were awake!_ Marroth cheered, all signs of her early depression gone in an instant. _I'm hungry._

 _You know where the feeding ground is. Help yourself._

 _But I would have to leave my eggs!_ she protested, audibly aghast. _What sort of mother do you think I am? I need you to watch them. Especially the little one. You should make S'teve sing to it. They like that._

"You're talking to a dragon. Stop it," S'teve muttered.

"I'm trying." _Do you really want me to watch them?_

 _Please?_ An image of Marroth, big-eyed and hopeful, pushed to the front of his mind. _Caimareth said he would, but he won't yell or scare those nasty little boys off because he's too nice, and you will because you love me._

There were a lot of holes in that argument, but Tony sighed and pulled away from S'teve anyway. _Those "nasty little boys" are the Candidates for your eggs, you know,_ he reminded her. Pimples prickled his skin when the cold air touched him. Back in bed, S'teve grumbled and sat up, giving him an exasperated look. _You have to let them near sooner or later._

 _Later._ He felt Marroth's tail lash through their connection. _They can get close at the Hatching._

 _All right, all right._ His trousers from yesterday were still on the floor where S'teve had tossed them. Tony reached for those first, to prevent more shrinkage than he was already suffering. _I'll come protect the eggs._

A dragonic roar of glee set his teeth on edge. _I love you!_

 _I love you too. I'll be down soon._ At least the Hatching Grounds would be warm.

"She got you, didn't she?" S'teve asked. Sleepy blue eyes peeked at him from under pale gold lashes. Thick furs dyed with deep blue and rich brown hid his body from view, but he still made an enticing sight. "What does Marroth want now?"

For a minute Tony hesitated, wanting to snuggled back in with S'teve, but Marroth pointedly cleared her throat. "She knows just what strings to pluck," Tony agreed with a grimace, shoving his feet into his boots. The inside sole felt frozen against his bare feet, but it would warm up fast enough. "She wants me to egg-mind while she hunts. I guess she's tired of having Caimareth bring her food. And she wants you to sing for them."

"Hatching is only a sevenday away," S'teve reminded him. "Two at the worst. It'll be over soon."

"And then she'll rise again."

"It's your own fault for impressing an oversized green."

 _Hey!_ Marroth and Caimareth protested simultaneously.

 _I am not a green dragon,_ Marroth added in a sulk. _Tony, tell him I'm not a green. Tell him!_

Caimareth's voice cut in shyly. _I_ like _flying Marroth. I really do. A lot._

"We know." S'teve chuckled and stretched, muscles rippling across his shoulders and chest, then threw the furs back. "I might as well go with you.

Tony paused in slipping on his third layer—by the time he reached the Hatching Ground, he'd be frozen without it, but he'd want to be able to strip once he was there. "You don't have to do that. Marroth's not serious about making you sing."

 _Yes I am._

 _No you're not._ "And you don't have to meet with the Masterherder until midday," he finished, with barely a break. "Rest. You deserve it."

S'teve bent over to search for his clothes, giving Tony a pause while he admired the view. "It's not worth sleeping in alone," he commented idly. He missed his weyrmate's sharp intake of breath at those words, but came back up in time to see Tony's stunned expression. The faint lines on his forehead grew deeper in worry. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I..." With a self-conscious laugh, Tony looked away and finished dressed, a silly smile curving his lips. "Thank you."

 _You're welcome,_ Marroth purred.


End file.
